Dracula's Brides
by krinklyluck
Summary: This is my idea on how Dracula met and got his three brides: Verona, Marishka, and Aleera. Completed.
1. Meeting Verona

I just want to say this is my first story here so I hope you like it, and any problems I have with grammar and such please point out! I would love to hear any comments!

Also I take no claim on any of these characters, they are not mine, they are from Van Helsing the movie and I am merely putting out my point of view as to how some events happened before the movie! Also, I haven't read any other fanfics on here so if you think I took your idea, I did not-I would never steal someone's idea purposely. Other than that, I hope you like it!

Dracula's Brides

Chapter 1: Meeting Verona

In the darkness came the sound of a single pair of wings beating rapidly. Soon after it began the air fell to a cold, icy breeze. Many of the villagers went inside since most of them didn't have enough money to buy decent clothes for the winter. As the last of the villagers went inside a beautiful woman came out to get water for her family to boil. Her hair was black and reached down to her lower back she was only about the age of twenty-nine or so and lived happily despite the cold weather and the peculiar sound of wings every night. As she reached the well there was the sound of footsteps behind her. Paying no heed to them she drew her bucket out careful not to spill any of the water. When she turned around there was a man standing very close to her, watching very closely to her movements. He was very handsome and seemed to be only a few years older than her. The sound of his breathing caught her attention as she stared into his eyes- so bold- yet they seemed to be thousands of years older than his face told. As she tried to walk around him without spilling her bucket of water he advanced even closer to her, this time so the only thing separating the two from touching was her bucket. She was beginning to fear him now, she had never seem him in the village before and no stranger had ever visited her town before in ages. The man drew in a deep breath and stepped back into the light from the moon revealing his complete features.

He was young like she had thought, and not much older than she. She also noticed how his eyes seemed to be exactly the same as they had in the dark close to her, his eyes wandered up her frame as she took in all the details she could get. She noticed his clothes were all black but of an older style, he seemed to be an ancient prince who lost none of his valor. Infatuated with this man she advanced this time toward him taking no heed to her bucket of water this time, it splashed against her clothes making them stick to her body in various places. At the sight of this the man seemed to jump as if excited by a force within. As she walked to him, he walked backward so that he was covered in darkness again. When the woman walked towards the spot he had been at he was nowhere to be seen. She was frightened because she knew he was real, she could hear his breath-almost feel it on her face. His eyes were to piercing to be fake, in her heart she knew this man would change her life forever.

Standing as if in a trance the woman stood silently staring up at the stars. The moon was hidden now by a dark cloud and would soon reemerge and by then she hoped the man would reappear. Soon a hand was on her shoulder and she snapped around to see who it was throwing her bucket of water onto her brother.

"Verona!" the boy shrieked, he was younger than her but had grown tall before most his age. He looked down at his soaked clothes and clung to his wet body tightly, "look at this Verona, now why would you go and do that for?" He was perplexed as to why she took so long getting the water for the family. Verona giggled as she looked at her brother clearly now that the moon was shining bright once more.

"I am sorry brother, I did not mean to. I thought I saw something in the sky and was looking intently, then you startled me so." She replied through giggles, even though she was the oldest offspring in the family she still knew how to have fun like a child. "Come, let us get some more water now and go back inside, I fear mother will be terrified that you will become sick." She walked back toward the well and her brother followed, and as she got the bucket out she half expected the man to be back for her, half hoping he would be there she turned around to face her brother staring at the sky like she had done.

"That's strange," he noted, looking at the moon, "I don't hear that batting in the wind tonight, though I heard it while you were out here 'staring at the skies' as you say." Glaring at her, he took the bucket himself into the house. Verona looked to the moon again and thought she saw a bat flying off into the distance reflected only by the moonlight.


	2. Charming Verona

Okay here's my next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it! It's a bit longer than the last chapter but I got a lot of good ideas on her background. Again, I don't own these characters I merely tell my own tale about them!

Dracula's Brides

Chapter 2: Charming Verona

Verona woke up to the sound of skittering rats. She lifted herself off of her broken down bed and walked outside. It had been a month since the mysterious man had appeared before her and she had begun to think she really was mistaken. Her brother didn't believe her when she told him about the man the day after, and she hadn't told anyone else. Her father had begun to bother her about marrying, but she had secretly been wishing that the stranger would return. That afternoon, she was walking down the road thinking about the stranger when she heard footsteps behind her. Her heart began to pound and she quickened her pace. The footsteps then drifted away, and she turned around. Her brother was right there, startling her. He had been following her the entire time, he explained.

"Mother needs you quickly, Verona. Father fell ill all of a sudden." With that, Verona ran back to her home dropping her shawl on the floor. Her father was lying on the floor gasping for air; his eyes were wide open and helpless.

"I fear the worst for your father, Verona." Her mother choked through her tears, "call the coroner; he will not make it through the day." Verona's eyes filled with tears as she forced herself out of the house once again and into the light. As her legs moved forward, her heart went back to her father, her only companion in the world. They had shared so many triumphs through their hardships, and as Verona was a woman, he had hoped to see her married before he died.

"Father... I will not let your hopes go unfulfilled" she whispered to herself as she entered the graveyard and beckoned the coroner. That night her father was buried under a dying tree. Its limbs hung limply to the ground to touch where his head would be. Verona was standing by her mother and brother who both were crying into their coats. She stared at her father's headstone and wept in her heart for what she had lost. That night, Verona lagged behind her mother and brother as they walked back to their house. She walked over to the well and sat on the edge, thinking about the man. For so long she had hoped he would return for her and they would be married. It was a girlish thought from someone she had never spoken to, but she knew if her father had met him he would have approved. The time had come for her to make a decision for her future, in her heart she was still a child full of fear and was not ready to have a family of her own- not right after her father left her. Lowering her head to look into the well she began to hear a beating sound, the very same beating she had heard exactly one month before. From behind her as she gently moved her head towards the sound she saw a dark figure approaching cautiously. "Who are you?" She questioned in a soft voice. The figure stopped at the sound of her voice but continued when she stopped. "Please, sir. Tell me who you are!" Pleading, she advanced towards him as well, he entered into the moonlight and in his eyes she saw a sorrow like no other she had seen before. He was the same man she thought of every night in her bed, and the same man she dreamt of marrying. Verona held out her hand to him and pleaded gently once more, "tell me your name, and I will tell you mine." He reached his hand out to hers but withdrew it quickly shaking his head.

"I am known as Vladislaus." He pronounced boldly, his accent was thick but she understood him clearly, "I have watched you from the day of our first meeting and I saw you weep for your father tonight." She jerked her head down to the ground as she felt tears swell in her eyes. "I have yearned to touch your hand for so long, but I fear if I do-" he stopped himself quickly and glanced at her face. "Please, tell me your name my dearl" at that moment he drew his hand to her face and lifted her chin up to meet his eyes, they seemed to pierce her very soul and her heart stopped beating as she said,

"My name is, Verona, and I have thought of you since we first met. Please tell me why you have never made yourself known to my family. My father-" she stopped as well, she needed to remember her place. She did not know this man; he had been stalking her for a month and had just now come to introduce himself to her- right after her fathers' death! He dropped his hand from her face and stepped back.

"My life is empty, and watching you has filled me with what I believe is joy. My entire life has been filled with sorrow I cannot feel the simple pleasures in life! If only you knew how I felt! Only then my dear would you come to love me and yet fear me as well." Verona's heart pounded as he told her this, the raw emotion in his voice brought her to tears and she ran to him.

"Vladislaus! In your words I feel your pain; I have not felt the simple pleasures in life for a very long time as well, no joy in life or happiness in every day things. My life has been filled with sorrow and poverty for more than half my life! If only you had made yourself known to my father, then we could have married!" She gasped as she realized what she had said, at the same time she felt his arms glide around her back and stop at the word 'married'. His arms seemed to tense and become more powerful, yet gentler to her body.

"Would you really want to be..._my_ bride?" He asked gently into her ear, she could feel his icy cold breath on her neck and drew herself closer to him as she shuddered. "You would have to give up so much of your life here. I'm afraid you could never return to your mother and brother once you marry me." Her family was her life, but with him did she only feel completely safe. It was something about his presence and his arms around her that night that made her give up everything she had, for someone she had only met twice.

"I will give it all up for you, Vladislaus," she whispered back into his ear. "Take me to your world my love," already she became familiar with him, the curves in his back the icy touch his hands held, and the sorrowful heart he held. It never occurred to her that the sorrow he held was for himself and not for what he lost. He wept because he could not feel anything at all, no love for this woman before him. He saw her beauty and would have loved her very deeply if he could, but in his heart there was nothing, in fact, where his heart should be held a useless organ which had stopped beating many centuries ago. As he bent her head backwards she moved her hands up his chest and around his neck making him get excited.

"In a few moments you will be like me my dear, and Verona, you and I will come together and make the world fear us. A brief moment of pain and we shall be together... forever!" Vladislaus said as he leaned down to her and opened his mouth. He touched his lips on hers gently and went towards her neck. In a single moment Verona lost all memories and fell into darkness.

The last thought she had was of his body coming down on her, he was whispering something to her, then she felt sweet bliss.


	3. Vladislaus's Plan

Yay! Here is my third chapter so far, I'm trying as hard as I can to make as many as I can during school but exams are coming as some know. But in a week I will be completely free and I will upload very often! I'm happy to here some people like my story so far, and I hope you enjoy this chapteras well! (I still, yet again, do not own any of these characters.) This should be the final chapter of just Verona and Vlad but I may surprise you with a tiny chapter finishing it off (the ending here doesn't completely work for me as of now so more than likely a tiny chapter will follow soon!). Enjoy!

Dracula's Brides

Chapter 3: Vladislaus's Plan

Verona woke up in complete darkness. She could feel herself being lifted and dropped continuously and it took her a moment to realize it was a person she was lying on top of. Trying to lift herself up as gently as she could without waking him she raised her head upward to hit the top of something hard and cold. She was inside something, and fear struck her heart- but then she realized she didn't feel it there but in her mind she _thought it_, she felt no tingle throughout her body one would feel in fear, or the sweat that would form on one's forehead. Verona felt cold, and reached for a blanket only to hit another wall, then another. She was trapped. The form under her began to move and she froze, an arm lifted up to her head and brought it downwards onto his chest. He mumbled a few things and fell asleep almost at once. It was only then did she realize who it was she was on, and remembered what she had done the night before.

"Vladislaus," she whispered and silently recounted the night in her mind. He had bitten her neck, she remembered that there was pain only because she yelled out, but could not remember what it felt like. He had then draped her in his cloak and pressed her body against his. That was when she forgot everything else, in her dreams she felt a strong wind blowing against her face and being dropped lightly onto a grassy field. After that, only Vladislaus would know.  
  
He had done it, he had made her his. He tasted her flesh and felt her life diminish into his mouth, but then he gave back to her some of his life, she drank his blood and now they were one. It felt good to have a companion in the world, he was new at this himself, his full power had not yet been reveled to him. He could change into a bat creature and had super human strength, but beyond this he knew nothing. He desired the blood of others, and had feasted on many of them for years now. Verona was supposed to be one of the dead now, but he had spared her and made her his instead- an undead being. She would help him in his plan now, he would control the human race and destroy those that cursed him.

"Perhaps," he thought, "there was a chance that she and I will be able to multiply into thousands." This new idea of his own offspring joining him in his quest filled him with determination, and that is why he spared her so many times from his anger- for the chance to breed.  
  
Vladislaus felt her moving on top of him trying to get out, he was disgruntled to be awoken but let it pass for the time being and reached out for her. He felt her head and could hear her breathe in short intervals. Pulling her back down to him gently he reliazed how exhausted he was from the experience; he had never done something like that before, and had not known it would take so much of his energy to give her life again.

"Verona," he thought when he awoke the next night, "we shall try my plan in the morning after we get to really know one another." With a smile on his face, he opened the coffin's lid slowly just in case he was mistaken and the sun was still out. Verona woke with a start as she felt herself being lifted and yawned loudly,

"Vladislaus, why must we be out at night?" she cooed to him.

"We are creatures of the night, my love, if you were to walk out in full daylight-" he stopped and smiled again, "let us say it would not end nicely?" She looked puzzled but with his eyes he commanded her not to question. The main rule he wanted was not to be questioned in his own house, he was the law here now. Verona's stomach growled and she reached down and rubbed it gently, Vladislaus turned around to her and asked, "hungry are we?" and when she nodded in reply he laughed in response, "follow me." Down in a cellar there were two bodies lying down chained against the wall, one was of an older woman, dying from starvation and sorrow. The other was of a young boy who had lost his strength from malnutrition. Vladislaus glided down casually to the people who looked up at him blankly.

"She will not know them, and that is good" he said softly. Then he called out, "Verona, are you coming my dear?" with some impatience he waited while she slowly made her way down the stairs, "I must teach you how to feed now, and later," he added deliberately as she stumbled, "how to glide perhaps, hmm?" She looked up at him apologetically, but he only rolled his eyes in disgust. It was amazing how soon he tired of her. If it weren't for his plan for the morning, he would not even bother, he thought. When she came to him the two captors looked at her for a moment, and the young boy seemed to recognize her and was about to say something, but Vladislaus grabbed the older woman.

"Here, at the neck, is where you make your move. As you bite down, you will feel the blood stream into your mouth, you will only have to swallow it then, and it is done." He paused to look at her, she was watching him intently like a school girl, and was eager to learn more. "Now, observe," as he finished he drew the woman near him and bent her head back. His teeth began to grow out, and as soon as his head began to shake he thrust his mouth downward onto the woman's neck. She yelped in pain, but in a moment her life was gone. Vladislaus motioned Verona to go to the boy, and as she bent down to him Vladislaus corrected her,

"No, Verona, it is easier if you lift them to you."

"But I do not think," she protested,

"Do it!" he yelled in reply, "I shall not be questioned!" His eyes bored into hers and she did as he instructed. The boy was lifted into the air to face her, and she was surprised at her own strength, he seemed to be as heavy as a twig to her. She bent his head back so it faced the ceiling, and when she saw his pale neck, her teeth began to grow on their own. She felt her senses get keener and her eyes stronger and her lust for blood grew more and more until she went down onto his neck, when she felt the blood stream into her mouth, only then did she satisfy all of her needs.

"Good, very good," Vlad laughed as Verona dropped the lifeless body to the floor. Maybe she wasn't as stupid as she seemed.  
  
That night, Vlad drew her close to him and petted her head. She curled herself up against him as close as she could and could feel herself being lifted into the air and drifting towards the room where they had slept.

"I have a plan for you and I, Verona," Vlad said into her ear, "I want to have children to wander the earth with us. To live and breath like we do! Verona! Will you help me in this?" He knew he would make her do it either way, but to tempt her with this was just for fun.

"Vladislaus, for you I would do anything! Let me bear your children, I want to be a mother!" It was what he would have expected in the end.

She was his now, and tonight, no one in the world existed except for the two of them.


	4. Mother Verona

Hello again! Surprised to see an update? This chapter isn't very long this time, it's a nice little ending I thought would be good to the Verona/Vladislaus section. She'll still be around but I'm moving now to the Marishka/Vladislaus story. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you have the others (thanks to all the reviewers so far!!) And yes, I still do not own these characters!

Dracula's Brides

Chapter 4: Mother Verona

In the depths of his castle Vladislaus heard the horrified cries, for the fourth time, of Verona as she saw what she had produced. In over a decade the had only been able to conceive four times successfully, and each time lifeless sacs were left hanging on the abandoned walls of his castle. He was almost envious of Verona because she felt the sorrow of seeing her unborn children- they were his too, he did not know why he was robbed of feeling what he yearned for! And now he was robbed of what he dreamed for as well. Verona would now put herself somewhere secluded and hide away for months on end, he had tried to convince her it was just a mistak because he was disgusted at the length of time she would not allow him to even touch her. There were many times when he forced her to let him near her, and this was one of those times. He grew restless now without her because he was used to her being around him day and night. Verona was the only person he could depend upon to do what he wanted, she didn't whine as much as she used to. With age she grew accustomed to what he expected of her. She was just as confident as he was in their bat forms now, she even had greater skill at hunting than he, but he always made it clear to her- he was the master.

Verona was lying in her separate coffin especially made for these hard times, when she heard him come in and shut the door. Anger flooded her mind and she made herself ready to attack him if he tried to force himself in there with her like he had before. But there was no noise, and after a time she became curious as to where he was. She lifted the top of the coffin to peer around the corner when suddenly the top was lifted off completely and he was standing right beside her.

"It's time," he said, "that I should find myself another." He paused and looked to her face for a reaction, when finding none he shot quickly, "Verona, my dear," he spat viciously, "I'm tired of always waiting for you. Have I not made myself perfectly clear when I said that _I_ was the master of this castle. _I_ make the rules as you know,_ I_ do everything for you,_** I gave you life**_!" He grew angrier and frustrated until he heard her wail.

"I try master, I try! My heart is filled with sorrow, it is too much to bear. My unborn children are lying in the room next to us and I can do _nothing_ about it!I am powerless to save them! I went to them the other night and tried to save one of them, I took one out- and look!" Verona lifted a lifeless bat creature and she broke out into tears again as he took it in his arms with wide eyes, "My body cannot bear them anymore for a while Vladislaus." The plain rejection set into his mind instantly, even still after giving her everything there was in the world, she would reject him out of her coffin for the night because she could feel what he could not. Pulling aside some strands of loose hair he placed the bat back into Verona's arms. It was something he was not prepared to see, and he would never forgive her for showing him what one of his children looked like dead.

"As I was saying as before, it is time for me to get a new bride!" He was cut off again with her wailing at the shock of this rejection. "I grow tired of it Verona! If you had been more pleasant with me, perhaps I would have forgiven you after so much we have been through together. But this is beside the point, I have found myself another bride, and she will be mine."

"Vladislaus," she begged, "please, forgive me, I need you. After this new bride joins us, will I be forgotten?" Her eyes grew wide as she looked hopelessly into his, and he replied softly,

"No, Verona my dear, I could never forget my first bride. To her you will be a mother. You shall teach her what I taught you and both of you will be mine and we shall try again and again, until we find a way to bring my children to life." This new prospect into being a mother of his new bride excited and pleased her greatly.

"A _mother_! She will look to me for answers, and I will love her like a daughter, my own daughter." Vladislaus laughed as she thought this over in her head, it would be like her own flesh and blood, they would all be connected by blood.

"You, Verona, will be my queen. To my other bride, she will look to you, and then to me!" Verona laughed with delight at being a queen. She and her master would live together like nothing had changed. Vladislaus wrapped his arms around her and laughed along with her.

The next night after spending the day in his coffin with Verona, his queen, he took flight once more to find his new bride. Verona was left on the balcony hidden by her offspring hanging in sacs against the wall.

She was looking forward to meeting her daughter.


	5. Meeting Marishka

Finally! I'm glad I'm back, and I apologize for taking so long to update! But I have 2 chapters for you all ready to go. This one is just a short little intro to Marishka, and I hope you like it! I take no claim to the characters, but this time I take claim to the story because I did make it myself, I forgot to say that before!! Enjoy.

Dracula's Brides

Chapter 5: Meeting Marishka

The time had come for Vladislaus to take his next bride; he was preparing himself for a quick trip back to the village where he had found Verona. All he needed was another woman, any woman, for his plan. He needed more children and with the time it took for Verona to give birth once, it would be centuries before he could act, and this could not wait. Landing on the roof of a house he spotted a beautiful blonde haired woman who was bending over to grab a child, as she turned around with the baby in her arms he knew she was his next bride. She could not see him as it was dark, but the dawn would come soon and he had to act fast, baring his fangs once more he transformed and took flight.  
  
(The day before...)  
  
Marishka was the only girl in her family besides her mother, and having three brothers made her such a tomboy, that people questioned sometimes whether or not she truly was a girl. The way she handled herself around men was undoubtedly masculine, but when she was left alone, or caught off guard, her eyes and feminine body were the envy of all around her. She hated wearing dresses and grew accustomed to shear baggy pants she had made herself sometime ago. Her mother and father wanted her to marry, she was already twenty-one and feeding the mouths of four children, especially boys, was not an easy task. While she was a good daughter and worked hard for them, her behavior was unacceptable in their once respectful family. They had made a name for themselves when she was a little girl, and had made good money during the summer time. But raiders and thieves stole a lot of what they had in farming, burning down crops and killing their cattle. Now they had almost nothing to their name.  
  
Marishka hated change, she always resisted a man coming on to her, and would always end up in fights to get men off her. She could handle herself very well, and since she had no plans of settling down ever, she would have to protect herself all her life. Her brothers protected her when they could, but the youngest, who was still a baby, was her joy in life. She loved taking care of him when no one else would. At night they would sit by an old useless well and she would hold him until he fell asleep in her arms, it was only then when someone could catch her off guard and in the moonlight see her piercing, magnificent eyes. Sometimes she would sing to him, or tell him stories, other times she would fall asleep with him and awake in the morning when the fresh dew sat still on the grass. Sometimes she would tell her baby brother about her dreams of having a family when she felt lonely, but other times she would denounce all men and declare herself to never marry anyone when she was angry. It was a time like this, when someone caught her off guard for the last time.  
  
She was sitting down by the well that night when her baby brother crawled out of her reach.  
  
"Akmed, come back here you silly boy." She laughed as he giggled his way into a puddle. "Now look at your clothes, mother will not be pleased with me for this." She whispered disappointedly to him. She bent over to pick him up and as she turned around with him in his arms, complete darkness took her in.  
  
It seemed as if the world was falling from her, she no longer felt the ground, or her brother in her arms.


	6. Come Here

Again, I take no claimg to the characters. I only take claim to the story which I made myself. I put a little scene however in this chapter that came from the movie Dracula with Frank Langella in it, so the scence about "Come Here" which is the title of the chapter, that was not my idea. Other than that I hope you enjoy.

Dracula's Brides

Chapter 6: Come Here

It was a while until Marishka felt solid ground under her feet and at that point she had given up hope. She had struggled against this thing- this power that held her. At times she felt icy, cold breath upon her neck that made her whole body shrivel up. Whatever had held onto her was some kind of beast, something she knew she couldn't fight against. At first when the thing came her thoughts went to her brother, she heard him scream as she dropped him, but after that she would never know.  
  
At last the grip of the beast let her go and she ran with all her might- into a wall. She heard a laugh from behind her and turned to face the evil beast, but instead of what she imagined it would be, a figure of a man came near to her.  
  
Vladislaus did not want to waste time, he had already done that with Verona and it was tiresome to him. Better bite her now before she starts to fightor talk, he thought, not that it would really matter, she was no threat to him.  
  
"Who's there?" she called out.  
  
"Damn..." he muttered under his breath and continued aloud to her, "come now my child, do not fear, my name is Vladislaus," he felt her heart beating very fast.  
  
"Get away beast, I want nothing to do with you." Marishka yelled. "I want to go back to my home, leave me be!" she heard him moving closer to her, the morning light had not come yet to the windows.  
  
"I am afraid I cannot do that, Marishka, you are to be my second bride. If you would be kind enough to, _**come here**_." As he muttered his last two words he saw her crouched in a corner. He moved his left arm up and held out his hand to her, staring into her eyes he commanded her to come to him.  
  
"Second....bride?" she muttered as she drew herself up. "I want to go home now," she spat at him, his mind control could not work on her.  
  
"You're strong; I shall come to you then." He smiled; she actually could be stronger than him already as a mortal, unbelievable!  
  
Using the night as a shield he drew close to her wrapping his arms around her body.  
  
"Let go of me!" Marishka struggled, and for a second or two Vladislaus actually had to use his strength to hold her to him, but soon her strength wore out.  
  
"My darling! Marishka you are strong aren't you? You shall come quite in handy one day I am sure of this, now this is the time you and I become one."  
  
"I will never be like you, I don't even know what you look like! Let me go, please, let me go!" She pleaded as he pushed her to his coffin. As he lifted the lid she yelled and tried to get away, but he slammed her inside and jumped in. The top fell on them, closing her in with him.  
  
Verona heard the screams and came to her master, it was almost dawn and he would soon be resting. She had waited so long to see her daughter, but she knew she would have to wait. Gliding back to her own coffin she rested for the day.  
  
From inside the coffin was a soft yelp as Vladislaus bit down onto her neck.


	7. The Meeting of Mother and Daughter

Here I am finally again. It took me a while to find time to just sit down and write without running into a wall. This chapter is pretty long, and hopefully makes up for me taking so long to update. I apologize again for taking so long. I take no claim on the characters once again! But I do claim the plot as it is my own. I hope you enjoy this one!  
  
Dracula's Brides  
  
Chapter 7: The Meeting of Mother and Daughter  
  
Verona woke up the next night knowing that she was to meet her daughter. It was what she dreamt of and woke up thinking about constantly. She didn't know what she looked like, how she would act, if she herself would have to teach it simple things like discipline in front of Vladislaus. Mostly trivial things shot through her mind when she walked to her master's room.  
  
Marishka woke in the arms of Vladislaus and while somewhere deep inside her she knew it was wrong, she felt at home with him. Within him was a great power that seduced her immediately, and burrowing her face deeper into his chest she fell silently asleep almost immediately again, lost in her train of thought.  
  
Vladislaus felt her moving and was about to get up when she fell back down to him and thought it best to let her rest. He also felt Verona growing restless to see her new daughter and felt trapped in a decision. Should he let her rest? Or should he take her to her mother whom he had spoken briefly about to her the night before. Just as he was proceeding with his thoughts he heard someone enter his room and knew who it was. He grew angry that she should take her own authority above his own to enter without his permission and grew restless with Marishka on top of him.  
  
Marishka stirred and got up when Vladislaus moved about and she too heard someone enter the room. Afraid of who it might be she clung tightly to him and whispered gently,  
  
"Master!"  
  
"There, there Marishka," he purred to her, "the time has come for you to meet your mother! Do not be afraid, we shall go and meet her now." He lifted the lid of his coffin and he saw her already by the window watching him closely. Her eyes grew wide when she saw him staring back at her coldly. "Verona, my dear, next time you enter my room you must remember one thing... _only enter with **my** permission_." He hissed at her violently as he lifted Marishka out of the coffin and dropped her by his side.  
  
"Vladislaus, my love," Verona pleaded, "I grew anxious at meeting my daughter, you must understand..."  
  
"Enough! I've had enough already and you just now came in. Now take her away from here and do what you must. Remember what I told you to teach her, and before the dawn has come bring her to me again here." Vladislaus commanded as he waved his hands at her to go.  
  
"Why must we walk about at night, master?" Marishka purred to him, she had grown confused at the strange behavior in which the woman and her master talked.  
  
"Because my darling, we are not welcome among people during the day. You will see that they tend to be more... _enjoyable_ at night anyways." He smiled at her, "now go to your mother" he pushed her over to Verona who stood silently, he gave her a warning look and left from a side door.  
  
Verona now gave her full attention to her daughter, she had learned already her name and rejoiced to see she was very beautiful.  
  
"My daughter, Marishka, I have waited so long for you to come!" She ran to her and hugged her tightly to her, "we have much to learn tonight and you do not want to disappoint Vladislaus now, do you?" Hugging her mother tightly in return she replied,  
  
"Mother Verona, no of course I do not want to disappoint the master! I shall do whatever is needed of me. Teach me mother; teach me everything you know that I may become at least half of what you truly are!" She looked up into her mother's eyes and smiled. "I hope I shall not disappoint you either, mother."  
  
"Marishka, as my daughter you will never disappoint me! Now I must explain something before we proceed to the village. It is very important that you remember not to go about during the day. Our fair skin cannot handle the bright rays. Do you understand? No matter what, do not leave your bed whether it is your own or Vladislaus's." Verona looked deep into her daughter's eyes and spoke very seriously.  
  
"Of course mother, I understand you completely."  
  
"Good!" Verona applauded, "now that we understand that small bit, it is time to move onto the next subject: feeding," she smiled, "are you hungry my dear?"   
  
"A bit mother," she rubbed her stomach sadly, "I have not eaten in so long it seems."  
  
"Yes, that is how I felt when I first joined Vladislaus. We feed on particular things though: blood of others."  
  
"...blood?" Marishka asked, she was completely confused, "how do we eat blood?"  
  
"By draining the life out of humans my child!" Verona looked astonished she did not know this already. "We bite the necks of humans and suck their blood, the life, out! It is really quite simple since we have these." She then opened her mouth and bared her fangs; they were pure white in the moonlight and shone brightly.  
  
Marishka tried to replicate what Verona had done and opened her mouth as wide as she could. After a few moments her jaws seemed to loosen and drop lower than usual, and then she felt he canine teeth grow and reached up with her own hand to feel them. Her teeth were sharp and cut her own fingers as she touched the tip. Then she felt the power surge through her that all vampires have.  
  
"We are ready my child, to go hunt." Verona laughed and went off to the balcony. As Marishka followed she saw Verona leap off the balcony and transform into a wild beast. "Come Marishka!" she yelled out to her. Without knowing what she did, Marishka ran to the tip of the balcony and leaped off. She still felt the power of the vampire run through her and without changing with her own will, she was a beast just like Verona. "Well done, Marishka!" Verona laughed, "now follow me!"  
  
Marishka did follow and enjoyed the power of her wings and new form. She loved the complete and total power she had and knew that she was quite lucky to have gotten this gift from her master.  
  
Vladislaus had been watching from a tower above his room. He has seen Verona lead Marishka off to feed and wanted to know how well she would adapt to her changes. He threw himself off the tower and transformed as well and followed his lovely brides to the village. 


	8. Obedient Brides

Thank you to everyone who has commented so far and enjoyed the story. I have thought about a comment made about going more in-depth and thought about it a lot while I wrote this. I hope it improves, because it feels better with it to me personally. I again take no claim to the characters; I only claim the plot which is mine. Though the one scene at the end of this chapter with Vladislaus and Verona is not my idea, it came from a scene in the movie _Taste the Blood of Dracula_ with Christopher Lee. Without further ado, I give you my next chapter.  
  
Dracula's Brides  
  
Chapter 8: Obedient Brides  
  
Marishka twirled in the air as she watched Verona pick out her victim. Her long black hair blew in the breeze created by her long, bony white wings, but her eyes stayed the same piercing ice blue even when transformed into a beast. She was searching for a villager from the skies, and she would wait there until a proper time came. Marishka grew somewhat impatient to learn to eat because during the flight to the village her hunger grew more and more until she was starving.  
  
"Come mother, please hurry! I am so unusually hungry, while we were..." but before she had finished Verona had descended into the village full of drunken men and women waddling back to their broken down homes from past visits from vampires. The men usually wore long black beards while the women sported even longer brown or black hair tied around in a makeshift bun. Their clothes on the other hand, were quite alike in that they both were dirty and full of holes. Even through this sort of living, most of the villagers still found peace and happiness throughout their lives. This did not concern Verona in any way because she found her man and bore down upon him. In an instant she had him in her grasp and flew off into the night once more.  
  
The villagers almost didn't even realize it until a woman woke up the next morning without a husband.  
  
Marishka was watching the entire time as Verona flew down in one silent sweep onto her prey and saw that no one even took notice of the strong gust of wind after she took off again. It amazed her how swift and silent she was. Vladislaus was also amazed at her agility and hunting technique and scorned himself somewhat that he never took notice of it before, he then promised himself that he would not forget to praise her for it later, and perhaps a little more than that.  
  
Gliding through the air Verona stopped near Marishka and called,  
  
"Come, let us go home to feed in private!" as she said this she shook the man who until then had been paralyzed with fear, with her words he awoke and looked about him in panic. Seeing the demon Marishka's eyes staring intently at him and baring her pearly white fangs at him in desperate hunger he began to scream aloud.  
  
"Break his neck mother!" Marishka called with joy to her, the more she became hungry, the more violent she became. "No my child, that would spoil the blood within him." She explained this pointedly, "If you want a fresh meal, you must take the blood while he still lives, and otherwise, what would be the point? Although, if you broke the neck and then immediately drank, the blood would still be good to eat. Let us not delay then and hurry on our way to Castle Dracula!" Without waiting for her response Verona flew off into the moonlight. Without hesitation Marishka followed her intently, and soon was by her side again. Once in a while she would look down at the man who was once again paralyzed in fear.  
  
Vladislaus didn't know what was happening as Verona flew away back to his castle. He had wanted to hunt himself but saw that now it would be impossible. While the night was still young, it would take Marishka a while to get her full meal done. He then flew off instead back to Castle Dracula as well, careful to slow his speed down so that they would not know he had been watching them. One way or another, he knew he would have his meal.  
  
Though Verona had done the hunting, she was not hungry at all. The last time she had hunted was only a few nights ago. The blood of an entire man in one petite female, even if she was a vampire, was more than enough to last a few weeks. At this point in time, she felt somewhat bloated and uncomfortable. As they entered the castle they both transformed back into their seductive human forms.  
  
"Now try Marishka, drink from the neck, around here." She pointed to the man's neck as she bent it backwards and directly pointed to a few veins that had appeared with the strain.  
  
"I shall try immediately!" Marishka ran over to her, her long blonde hair flowing as she bounced across the stone floor. Her clothes were not as reserved as Verona's were and her entire stomach was bare while Verona's stomach was covered with a slight veil and sparkling diamonds. They both wore gowns with giant sleeves. Marishka's gown was gold; Verona's gown was white with gold laced inside.  
  
"Be careful with the first bite, Marishka, because if you bite down too hard the life will diminish while you drink!" Verona commented as Marishka bore down on the man. Only a sharp yell was heard in the castle that night from the man. The first time had been successful for Marishka, and she was now completely satisfied, and bloated.  
  
The time it took her to feed was long, and by the time she finished and was willing to move, the sun had started to rise. Verona knew that Vladislaus would be waiting impatiently for Marishka, and the next night he would be impatient to find how well she did. But as they entered his chambers and lifted his coffin lid, they could not find him. Knowing that he would be furious with her, Verona led Marishka to her new bedroom that was quite near her own. She laid her down into her bed and reminded her never to get out, even if someone called for her. As Marishka was settling down to sleep Verona closed the lid and left for her own room. Slightly worried that something had happened to Vladislaus, she hurriedly left to check his chamber once more before heading for her own room. By this time the sun was rising steadily and already Verona felt her power weaken.  
  
As she entered the room she saw him getting into his bed. Feeling safe now that he was there she turned to go, but then she felt a hand on her side,  
  
"Verona," he whispered quickly, "come quickly." He grasped her arm and pulled her into his room and threw her into his bed and shut the lid quickly. "The sun, it would have killed you if you had not come back to me- but where is Marishka?" The concern in his voice made her fear his wrath, and in so close a space and the sun already up, there was no escape.  
  
"Marishka is in her room. I put her there myself, she is safe."  
  
"Very well I suppose, I still would have liked to see her after she fed?" He questioned this since he hadn't got the chance to see her actually feed on the man, his slow pace back to the castle had taken him longer than expected.  
  
"Yes, very well I may say. She is completely filled with life once more." She was in turn with his calm comments, growing more control over herself after fearing the worst.  
  
"Good- I have you to thank for this I am sure my Verona. You taught her the basics, but now she must learn for herself. After this you must not help her even if she asks for it. A vampire such as us, the last, must learn to live on our own in case something happens."  
  
"Do not speak of such things now, let us rest."  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"...Vladislaus?" She grew anxious again because during this conversation he had moved himself on top of her, his black hair hung loosely about him and was hanging down and tickling her chest lightly as he breathed gently.  
  
"I must confess this one thing: I had been watching you as you taught her to hunt." He moved his arms around so that they lay under her head, leaning on his elbows he continued, "I was going to hunt myself then but you left unexpectedly and I was curious and followed." He bent his face down onto hers and stopped just above her, "I am hungry Verona, I need to eat now or I may die." He then whispered to himself, "not really a possibility for only _one thing_ may kill me, but none-the-less we must be careful now."  
  
"What are you asking of me?" Verona was trying to crawl out of his arms which had begun to tighten their grip upon her; they quickly moved in response to her crawling and grabbed her shoulders tightly.  
  
"I need your blood, Verona, I need the life. Will you help me grow stronger? The sharing of your blood with only make us closer than we already are, I assure you." He was growing tired of waiting to feed, but he must be careful with her, if he drank too much of her blood she may die. Vladislaus now felt how important she was to him now; all thoughts of Marishka were now blown away.  
  
"I shall do whatever to help you, Vladislaus, just tell me what to do." She felt helpless in this situation, but how could she refuse her own creator? He had given so much to give her life, the power she held and the form she could take at night was everything to her now. Even this close contact with him made her excited, because it hadn't happened very often.  
  
"All I want you to do is relax, and let me take control of you." He felt her body mold into his as he put all of his own weight on top of her and he gently caressed her neck, "so beautiful, all mine" he whispered in her ear.  
  
He bit gently onto her neck in exactly the same place as before when she first joined him many years ago. She moaned and he relented a little in fear of hurting her, but she clung to his back tightly as he lifted himself up. With this gesture he went down again and finally got his meal.  
  
It would soon be time for birthing once again for both Verona and Marishka. 


	9. Meeting Aleera

The only thing before I get into this next chapter is to first thank everyone who has commented, I am really, really glad that you have liked it and it makes me write more, thanks for your support!! I don't own the characters, just the plot.  
  
Dracula's Brides  
  
Chapter 9: Meeting Aleera  
  
It had been years since Vladislaus had been able to get Marishka to birth again. After she failed once it seemed she would never allow him to get near her, and this vexed him greatly. Verona would gladly come to him, and she had given birth to many of his offspring but with the same result: lifeless, oozing bags of mucus hanging from his castle walls. But she still held onto hope and did as he commanded. He would gladly kill Marishka because of her insolence but every time he would approach her she would either run off, even when the sun would begin to rise, just to get away from him; or Verona would appear and beg him not to destroy her only daughter. He could not go against her wishes, she who was so faithful to him at all costs. He knew that soon would be the time to get her with child again, and when he did... well, he would know what to do when the time came.  
  
Marishka's favorite hiding place from Vladislaus was in the village. She would fly out at full speed when the sun was rising and knew that he would never follow. The hardest part of flying away from him was to fight against her will to go into his arms, he would call to her in her mind to come back, and with the help of the sun shining down on her, it tore his voice away from her mind. Marishka would hide in a small, broken down barn that lay right outside the village gates that no one ever came to. She would bury herself under the hay that lay there from years ago and sleep until the night came over the world. At times she would wake up to find a mouse crawling on her, or a bird flying around the ceiling, but never would a human walk in and find a sleeping vampire in a bundle of hay. It was a good spot to be when she was really hungry because at night when she could walk about comfortably and attack quickly to drag them off to the castle where she would dine with her mother. Every time she came to Verona though she would be asked the same question;  
  
"Marishka, dear, why do you hide from Vladislaus? He has done everything for you, and still you run away, he only wants to be with you during the night."  
  
"To be with him, mother, would be to die once again as I give birth to my still born children brought by him."  
  
"You have nothing to fear! He promises to bring them to life; he is searching for a cure for our children of the night. You must not give up on our dreams, Marishka; it is what helps us all move on in this world full of death." Verona would strain her voice from echoing because she knew Vladislaus would always be near her when she was with Marishka.  
  
"Your hope cannot live mother," she would retort, brushing her blonde hair away from her face, while her mother would fear her master, she would not. "My master has nothing to give me now that I would want; he promises these things when he cannot give it. It is useless mother! I can never have children of my own that live, you are lucky enough to have me as a daughter, but what do I have? What can I ever have?" As she spoke, her words were filled with pain but as she was reminded of what Vladislaus had done to make her have those children, and what he promised, her pain was filled with anger instead. She knew soon he would come in trying once again to get her into his bed.  
  
"Please, rethink your actions Marishka." Verona would plead as she tossed out the lifeless body they feasted over.  
  
"Marishka my dear, what a surprise to see you again here at my castle!" Vladislaus would call from the door of the cellar. "Come now, can we not be together again just for a night?" his eyes would be full of sadness when she knew in his heart there was desire,  
  
"Not until you give me what was promised, master." Marishka would say walking to the window, Verona would try to hold her back but she had grown strong in her anger against him and threw her away from her. Vladislaus would run to Verona to see if she was alright and then Marishka would fly away to her hide-out near the village.  
  
"She will learn soon enough." Vladislaus growled to Verona, "She will be mine."  
  
"Marishka wants a daughter, Vladislaus, if you give her that, then she will be yours."  
  
"Is that so?" He thought about this for a moment, "I don't want another bride, I've had enough with her and soon not even your pleading will save her."  
  
"Can you not be persuaded against this? I love her so much; if I were to lose her perhaps I shall never come to you and then what of your plans?" This was a dangerous threat to her master but when threatening her daughter, there was bravery in Verona not even Vladislaus could reckon with.  
  
"You tempt me to kill you right now, my dear, do not be as hasty to threaten me, for if you do it seriously, it will be the last thing you do." He then reached up to her neck and started to choke her, his anger was beginning to rise as he thought of all that just happened and Verona sensed her life was now in danger.  
  
"Vladislaus please," she choked out trying to breathe, "I am---with child--- " quickly he let go of her and felt her stomach and smiled,  
  
"A close call my love, if you had not told me I would have strangled you to no end." He stroked her stomach and brushed back his loose dark brown hair from his eyes, "my children need rest, come Verona, you shall be with me until they are born. I must keep an eye on them and make sure they will grow strong like the others." He then lifted her up and strode into his bedroom, careful to watch where he stepped; it was strange to see such anger closed shut so quickly after hearing of new children to come.  
  
By the time Marishka had reached the barn the sun had already raised half way. She felt her skin burn and saw flesh peel away as she threw herself into the hay. She hoped by nightfall she would still be alive.  
  
Out in the village workers began to come out of their homes and store owners began to open their shops. Birds were singing and dogs were barking even children came out to look around with excitement of the new day. Not many things had happened in the years since Marishka had disappeared, her family had moved on and accepted their daughter as dead. They had never seen her at night, or at day when she entered the barn. Her brothers never forgot her, they would tell stories of her to their children, and their children told stories of their Aunt to their children. Soon she was only a tall tale told by father to son, mother to daughter.  
  
A particular daughter always wanted to hear tale's of Marishka because she always fancied one day she would come back. Though it had been decades since she first disappeared and all her close family including her brothers were long dead, the one girl didn't even have a feasible connection to her, but still she held onto her hopes. Her name was Aleera, and she was at the ripe age of eighteen when she began to wonder about Marishka. At times she would think of reasons for her disappearance, like a knight in shining armor coming to take her away to a palace to live happily ever after. Others were dark tales of a murderous pirate who locked her up in his cabin for his own enjoyment. This imagination of hers gave her a lot to do during the day, and dream of at night.  
  
Aleera's family was not big, she was an only child and her mother had died when she was born. She relied on her father for everything, and he relied on her to help him. There were days when she could do whatever she pleased, or had to work the entire day at his shop. Either way she had fun talking to people in the streets or customers coming to buy odd things. Her father was very old, he walked very slowly with the help of Aleera and hunched when he walked alone. His dark red hair was still intact though, and even if he was sixty, there was no sign of aging white on his head. His hands were burnt everywhere from cooking and cleaning in his shop, everyday Aleera wrapped them up in a cloth to protect them from another injury. Their love for one another would last until both their deaths.  
  
While her father was old, Aleera was at the prime of her youth. Her blazing red hair hung down her face and back in curls. She laughed gaily and loud, her hands were pale as were her face and stomach. She wore a pink and white dress usually that grew to an enormous size at her feet when she walked, or when the wind blew it back. She also had loose sleeves that hung down close to the ground; her lips were blood red and stood out greatly from her pale face. These uncommon features were accepted respectfully by the men of the village and most of the young boys doted on her greatly. She would always expect men to come to her, and would almost never be disappointed. Her jealousy in life would be when someone took an interest in her father. It almost never happened, but her only connection in life could not be taken away from her. After the woman would leave she would follow them and later threaten them away from her father. This left him lonely in the world, but they had each other. He would never know she did this to him after her disappearance and would always blame it on himself until he died.  
  
There came a time in Aleera's life when she wanted to do everything the boys did. They would wander about the streets looking for others to join them, daring each other to do this and that. Most of the things were quite trivial until she decided to join them. At first they let her pick out what to do, pleased to have her near them. Her father pleaded her not to do anything they dared her to do, for it might be dangerous and cause something bad to happen, but this did not concern her, she knew of the vampires and knew they only came out at day. The village people needed to live more than hide away, and she was going to show them. This is when her dare came to her;  
  
"Aleera, you've been good to us." A young boy said to her, "but there comes a time when you must show your worthiness to be in this group!" They all laughed, even Aleera joined in.  
  
"Come now boys, tell me what you have in mind, I have no fear of things at daylight!" She laughed shrilly,  
  
"It's not at daylight that our dare takes place, but at nightfall." Things grew quiet around her and she said,  
  
"If it's at night, I still have no fear! You boys must really have nothing to do if you think you can scare me with such trivial nonsense!"  
  
"Aleera, do you really want to do this?" The boy grew serious, "you know if you accept you have to do it."  
  
"I don't have to do anything I don't want to sir, but I'll do it anyway. A dare is not a promise, it is a question of whether or not you can do something, so go on and give it to me!" She grew angry that they should think her incapable of something just because it was at night.  
  
"Alright," he sighed, "you must stay out at night, the entire night, outside the gates of the village."  
  
"Outside the gates? Is that all you really have for me?" Aleera laughed.  
  
"Well you'll be alone. And you cannot come back in until the sun begins to rise."  
  
"Fair enough, I'll do it. You boys couldn't do it yourself, eh? Childish wimps I should I have known better that you would save the best for me. You- who think you're so brave prancing about like you own the world." She smiled at them and started to walk to the gates- it would be an hour before the sun would begin to fall. "We do not and you know it Aleera, you're only mad we made this one up for you because you can't do it." The boys grew mad at her taunting and started to push her out the gates faster.  
  
"Tell my father I'll be back in the morning, otherwise he'd kill you all." Aleera warned for the last thing she wanted to do was worry her father.  
  
"We'll tell him Aleera, we promise." The leader sneered, he would tell the boys afterwards never to tell her father what happened, because if they had told him they dared her and forced her do it- because they knew they would all have been killed by his hands.  
  
"Here I go, outside the gates, see you in the morning boys." Aleera laughed as she walked outside and sat by a tree, "I shall sleep here, where you all can see me!" And there she sat, all alone.  
  
Soon Marishka would awaken and the first thing she would see would be Aleera, sleeping under the tree at night, all alone, and with no protection. 


	10. Reluctance

Yay! Here I am again, taking some time to think about some good things that could happen, I realize it's taken me quite a while to update every chapter so I apologize for the kind of, here I am- then disappear for a while updating. But thanks to everyone commenting, I'm glad some like Aleera so much! So here we go, once again: I don't own the characters, just the plot.  
  
Dracula's Brides  
  
Chapter 10: Reluctance  
  
Aleera had just fallen asleep, the sun had fallen completely and now the village was blanketed with darkness. Once in a while a boy from the group would come to check on her, to make sure she was fulfilling her dare, but if she asked for food or water they would disappear behind a house. She had noted that there was a barn across the road and considered moving inside because of the cold winds hitting her pale skinned face. Eventually though, her anger towards the dare had worn thin and she succumbed to her sleepiness.  
  
Marishka woke as soon as the sun was completely gone; she then started to venture outside the barn. Aleera was the first sight she saw, a young girl with blazing red hair- even in the dark- lying helplessly asleep by a tree across the road. Though she had just satisfied her hunger the night before, she raced to the other side to inspect the girl.  
  
Aleera had only closed her eyes before she felt someone touching her face. It was gentle, much like her father's when waking her in the morning, and at once thought she was at home in her bed. Soon though, the hand began to pull her up and throw her into what seemed like sharp tree limbs. As soon as she opened her eyes she realized that there was no ground beneath her, and that instead of tree limbs, it was a pair of claws gripping her waist. A silent yell broke from her throat, but they were already too far away from the village to beckon for safety now. Looking up into the eyes of her captor, Aleera felt her heart sink: a vampire had taken her and there was no hope for survival.  
  
Verona woke earlier than planned, and settled that she would rise before Vladislaus woke. Though he had been kind to her that night, she still dwelt on the thought of him threatening her only daughter. Though he gave her a great gift of new life and a daughter, she still heard Marishka's voice inside her head telling her there was no more hope. She was at a great loss of words when she felt an arm slide around her waist.  
  
"Verona," Vladislaus yawned, "why do you wake so early in the night?"  
  
"A dream, Vladislaus, nothing more, but while you are here can we not discuss Marishka's fate once more?" She pleaded with her eyes as she stared into his.  
  
"Marishka is a great part of my life, as are you. I cannot kill a part of me because then I lose part of my power." He was quite frustrated as he told her this, "I had not thought of it before in my anger with her, but last morning I thought about it thoroughly. If I were to lose either of you, my life would diminish making me weaker. That cannot happen if I am to complete my plan."  
  
"Can you not then give her what she seeks?"  
  
"It is simply out of the question, my love, why would I make my power more vulnerable to living beasts, by making another bride? You two are already head-strong enough to put up a fight against many villages at a time, but one slip-up and you die. While you share my power neither of you are as invincible as I am."  
  
"Then we shall never live in peace, Vladislaus, and you know it well. I am not afraid of you at this time, let me speak my mind." Verona pulled herself to her complete height and stared at him straight on, "while you speak of giving our children life, I have seen nothing in progression to it. I fear for my children that I give birth to freely for you. I give myself pain that you can never feel, and I do it for your word alone. I am very close to becoming like Marishka and joining her in rebellion. You must not say things to me and deceive me. If I am to be your queen, you must let me rule some part of your decisions."  
  
"That," he spat, "can never be. While this is true, you are my queen, I cannot let you tell me what to do. This is my castle darling. Not yours, you did not live here for centuries secluded in the darkness. Do not tell me of pains, for I can make you full of sorrow instantly."  
  
"But you cannot kill me, and that will do," Verona shuffled off hotly. "Do not come to me for help with Marishka. You must do it yourself and gain her trust back."  
  
In the cellar of the castle Marishka flew inside through the open window she last left from the other night. As she landed she dropped Aleera and let her roll across the floor. She soon transformed back into her human form and came to her side.  
  
"What is your name girl?"  
  
"That you shall never know, why should I tell a murderer whom it is they murder?" Though she said this with courage, her heart sank as she looked around and saw no possible escape.  
  
"I haven't brought you here to be murdered... exactly... more like being reborn."  
  
"I'd rather die once with pride than become one with a beast like you." Her voice faltered as she ended her sentence, if there was no escape, she would give her hell before she died.  
  
"So you know more about us than most of the villagers down there. Very good little girl, tell me now, what is your name?"  
  
"I have told you that before, I will not answer it again. And I know about you because of a relative of mine being taken away from us, long ago before either my father or I were born." Even now she recalled how close her fate would be with that of Marishka, though she would never know that the one she thought about day and night was the one who caused her demise.  
  
"Now here's something strange, a girl won't tell me her name but she wants to tell me about her past- extraordinary, but unwanted." As this comment was made, Verona came down the stairs.  
  
"Marishka! I thought I heard you talking down here but to whom?" her eyes searched the area and she finally fell upon Aleera. "Who is this? We have just feasted last night is something wrong?" She ran down the final stairs and came to Marishka.  
  
"I have a plan mother." Marishka's eyes burned with delight as she and Verona looked toward Aleera and smiled.  
  
Vladislaus was in the library when both Marishka and Verona came to him. Surprised by the visit of both brides he closed the book that he was engaged in at the moment and turned his attention to them.  
  
"Master, mother told me of what I have done to you. She told me of the reasons for not wanting another bride, but listen to me." She stopped as he slammed his book down in anger, "listen to me."  
  
"I have told you time and time again-" he slammed his fists down, "no means _no_!" he then shouted, some old books fell out of place from the rows lining the walls, but both brides stood firm in their places.  
  
"Look at this girl," Marishka pulled out Aleera from behind Verona and instantly Vladislaus eyes gleamed with desire. "I found her across my hiding place this night, alone."  
  
"Vladislaus," Verona picked up, "if you take this girl to be your last bride, our pact will be complete, we will have each other, I will have two daughters, and Marishka will take full responsibility for her like a second mother."  
  
"She will want a child as well," Vladislaus shot back, "I see her beauty as well as you do, but I cannot let myself be tempted to such waste in my power. She will fail me."  
  
"I don't want to serve you," Aleera yelled. She was furious these creatures were speaking about her like a bartering chip. "I do not want to be here, my father down in the village needs me, I have a life, a purpose down there. Let me be!" She went to Vladislaus and pleaded to him, "let me go home, please." He reached down to her face and rubbed her cheek and caught some of her red hair in his hands. Thinking about his possibilities he looked at Marishka. "And if I do this, what shall you do for me?" He heard Aleera whimper at this question, and looked down at her, "quiet child" he whispered softly, "soon enough you shall be free."  
  
"If you do this, I shall be yours forever. My children will be born along with Verona's and her's."  
  
"I don't want children with a thing like you!" Aleera pulled away from him but he grabbed her tightly to him,  
  
"Leave us then Marishka, and you shall have her tomorrow night." Quickly Marishka and Verona fled the library and left him alone with Aleera happily. "Now tell me child, why do you fear me?"  
  
"You're a cold monster that kills people of the village, I do not fear, but rather hate you."  
  
"I am not as bad as that am I to the people of the village?"  
  
"You are worse to others, though they will not admit it in your presence."  
  
"Then let us try something new, look into my eyes and see if I am as bad as that." He held her gaze for a long time. Aleera soon felt herself wanting to be held by him, wanting him to hold her; everything that she had never wanted in her life from a creature like him. She felt the need to be with him more than anything in the world.  
  
"You will have two mothers, and with them I share my bed. You too can be added to this list." Caught in his own gaze he forgot about his power being diminished by taking another, and even his promise to himself never to take another bride.  
  
"I cannot _share_ with them," Aleera clung to him tightly, "why can we not be together alone?"  
  
"I have duties to hold," laughed Vladislaus surprised to see that he had made her extremely passionate about him, "perhaps one day only you and I shall be left alone in this world. In the meantime you must expect that I will take Verona or Marishka once in a while. I must make them happy as well."  
  
"Very well, if you insist upon the matter master," she whispered in his ear.  
  
"I _do_ insist my child, now what am I to call such a beautiful girl?"  
  
"Aleera, master," she stated bluntly, "only Aleera,"  
  
"Well Aleera, my child, are you willing now to be my last and final bride?"  
  
"I am, but promise me something,"  
  
"What?" he grew suspicious now that she already wished things from him.  
  
"Of all the brides now, you shall love _me_ the most."  
  
"Of course Aleera," he smiled to himself, a promise, is a lie all in one to him. Even if Aleera was the prettiest bride to his eyes, he could not deny his other brides and their beauties. Verona was his queen after all, and most likely in the future Aleera's main cause of frustration because she would never be his queen. Marishka was bold and strong which was something Aleera would gain in time. All of them to him were beautiful, and he was lucky enough to have them all to himself.  
  
Leading her to his chamber he propped open his coffin for her to leap in joyously, once again getting inside along with her, he thought of Verona with his children in her and almost thought of withdrawing to check upon her when Aleera pulled him down onto her forcefully with the lid falling down upon them.  
  
For the last time he bore down on Aleera's neck to make her one with him and the other brides. In his chamber a soft moan was heard, but nothing more. 


	11. The One Called Victor Frankenstein Is Fo...

I'm really happy to see everyone liking this story, I appreciate every comment made, and you're all very kind! I believe after this chapter, there will be only one left! It's sad but perhaps I'll do a few more after that like epilogues and the like. These final chapters for the time being will hopefully be the best part of the story! I still, sadly, do not own the characters, just the plot.  
  
Dracula's Brides  
  
Chapter 11: The One Called Victor Frankenstein Is Found  
  
When Aleera met with her new sisters and mothers for the first time they decided who would teach her the basics. Verona was burdened with the children growing inside her and could not go out for a while now, so she was to stay with Vladislaus while Marishka would teach her. The chance at showing her worthiness to her master again made her ready for anything. Aleera was studious and listened carefully at what she was told,  
  
"To feed for the first time you must let the power of the vampire control you." Marishka once told her, "You will feel complete control over yourself and your powers as soon as you are full." She would easily teach her these basics having many years practice, and Aleera would easily gain the power of the vampire in time with her guidance.  
  
"I am ready, I think, to feed sister." Aleera moaned, "My stomach is commanding my attention now, I must eat soon," she rubbed her stomach painfully.  
  
"Good Aleera, come with me to the dungeon." Grabbing her arm, she led Aleera to the basement of the castle and presented to her a feeble old man lying against a pillar. "Now, to feed-"  
  
"You bite their neck!" Aleera pronounced proudly, "The master told me sister, he taught me a few things when we were together alone one night." She giggled at the memory.  
  
"Very well then, if the master taught you, you will be a superior hunter. Now, go ahead and feed." Marishka stepped aside somewhat agitated that she had been taught by the master himself. She knew Verona had been taught by him and was the best of the three, but if Aleera assumed she would gain more power than Verona, there would be trouble in the castle one day.  
  
Aleera did not hesitate to go and feed, she felt ready and was letting the power take control of her when something happened, the power died away and she soon felt herself drop the man at her feet.  
  
"The master told me this would most likely happen," Marishka snorted, "You are too confident in yourself."  
  
"I must have confidence, for the master needs me with him, and if I do not control myself now, when shall I?" She grew angry that Marishka would dare to say such a thing to her; the master needed her, and only her in Aleera's mind.  
  
"Child, the master only taught you how to feed in order to see if you were in fact too selfish. He knows you inside out as well as myself and Verona. You cannot hide this from him; he knows it already as we are speaking." Marishka rubbed her hands together silently and continued with a wry smile, "Try again, this time without the attitude if you please."  
  
With great care and time Aleera finally managed to feed, though even the sweet satisfaction of being full for the first time could not stop her from the anger and bitterness towards Marishka and Verona.  
  
The bond between Marishka and her master would heal over time and soon when Aleera could not be with her master during birthing or other trivial things, they would be joined together at last. Verona would be taken whenever the chance was given for his first bride, and second in command was always with him even if not physically.  
  
While Vladislaus's plan had yet to be pushed into motion the three brides had given birth to thousands of children over time. Marishka had grown used to the pain of seeing her children still-born and Verona would take walks or fly around the birthing grounds in the castle and dream of a day when they would join her in flying and feeding.  
  
Aleera on the other hand, would spend her time following her master where ever he went. She would wait upon him and get him what he asked, and for a short time he enjoyed her child-like want of acceptance from him. Soon he would realize that he had made her too much in love with him and had to stop it.  
  
"My child," he said to her one day, "Would you not like to go with your sisters to feed tonight? I have much work and planning to do for our children of the night to be born."  
  
"Oh, no, master! I fed last night without them," she grinned devilishly, "I wanted us to be together again, it has been such a long time it seems."  
  
"We were just together the other night darling." He growled, "Would you not like to spend the night alone?"  
  
"No!" she gasped; surprised he would say such a thing.  
  
"I fear I would like to be alone tonight, Aleera," he said calmly handing her a book, "Read that instead." He walked off out of the library and into his bride's chambers. Looking back behind him to see if Aleera were there he closed the door behind him. "Come my darlings! Let us go and feed." Verona and Marishka were pleased their master would join them.  
  
"Vladislaus!" Verona exclaimed, "We would be pleased if you could join us, but what of Aleera?"  
  
"Shh, let us not speak of her; she always wants to be by my side. I would rather be with you two for the night for now. Let us hurry before she sees us!" He hurriedly ran out the window and transformed, Verona and Marishka gave each other a look and shrugged it off and followed after him.  
  
That night the three of them enjoyed each other's company without the hassle of Aleera clawing over their master, they each got their share of attention, and each got enough to eat for a month. Soon the sun was beginning to rise and they hurried back to the castle, Vladislaus was able to catch hold over Verona before he left them and whispered to her,  
  
"Come with me, it has been so long since we have been together my queen." Verona laughed with delight,  
  
"It would be an honor my king." This pleased Vladislaus greatly, and bidding Marishka good night he carried Verona up to his chambers and was about to get in when Aleera joined them.  
  
"What are you doing with her master?" She eyed pointedly at the coffin. "I thought we would be together,"  
  
"Aleera, for one night," Verona looked at Vladislaus and smiled, "do not be so selfish, it has been months since Vladislaus and I have been together while you are with his constantly,"  
  
"I do not think _you_ are worthy of him." Aleera spat angrily.  
  
"What is this?" Vladislaus bellowed, looking at the windows and seeing the sun rising, "do you dare defy my queen in _my presence_?" he began to shout so loudly Marishka came running in.  
  
"Master? What is the matter?"  
  
"Leave us please, Marishka, sweet Marishka, you are not to blame in this." He waved his hands at her and she left silently. "What have you to say?" he growled at Aleera.  
  
"You and I are the only ones worthy of each other master" Aleera pleaded.  
  
"Leave us now," he commanded loudly, "do not come to me until I wish it, you are not wanted in this world when you defy your master's queen." He turned around to face Verona who seemed concerned about Aleera, without looking back he climbed inside and lifted Verona in after him. As he shut the door he saw Aleera standing where he had left her shocked at her rejection, "go now before the sun rises, child." He muttered to her and left her alone in his chamber. When he turned his attention to Verona she seemed out of sorts for a while before he asked what the matter was.  
  
"Aleera is young, she is but a few decades old, do not be so harsh on her."  
  
"Her insolence to you was unbearable. She must understand that while I love you three with a passion, she is not the only one I have a desire for." He unclipped his dark brown hair and let it fall about his face. He then reached out to Verona and stroked her long black hair.  
  
"She is without a doubt the most selfish vampire we've seen," she said reaching out her hands to meet his.  
  
"We're the only ones Verona," he reminded her harshly bringing her close to him.  
  
"Yes, that is true, Vladislaus, so we must try and not let anything come between us. Especially something as trivial as this, I feel hurt by her words, and I am your queen but we must stick together. Remember your powers are linked to her; be not so rash in your decisions."  
  
"Verona, in all the centuries we have been together, you still amaze me at your courage to speak up at times likes these. Were it not for you, Marishka would most likely be cut off from our world, and Aleera would be too at this point. You even dare to remind me of the importance my brides hold though you think I forget. I thank you for that." He smiled at her though she could not see in the dark; he caressed her face and kissed her.  
  
"You and I are two different people, Vladislaus, yet in all the time I've known you, I've only gotten to love you more." She purred to him, and rested her head upon his chest listening to his hollow heart and shallow breathing.  
  
"I shall speak to Aleera then tomorrow night, with you all together would be better. We need to get things back to normal and ready for our children." Verona grew restless and this news and asked what it meant. "It means I have found a scientist that knows how to create life, he can be persuaded I think, very easily if I can get to his castle before he leaves."  
  
"Who is this scientist you speak of?" she questioned.  
  
"He is the one called Victor Frankenstein." He gladly pronounced, "And soon, with my brides help, we shall have the key to life, and our children will be alive."  
  
Verona and Vladislaus laughed happily together for a while and soon, joined once again at last, they made up for the time lost between them. 


	12. Make Three Into One

Oh goodness, I think I have to apologize a thousand times for it taking me so long to update. Here it is though, the_ FINAL_ installment!! I'm very excited about it, even though it isn't the longest chapter; actually, it's probably the shortest chapter!! But it ends right where I have always planned it to end. If there are many of you that want another chapter, let me know and I will write one (I'd like to, but I'll only do it if others want to read it!). I planned for this to end right where the book adaptation by Kevin Ryan starts.  
  
I hope everyone who has read this story from beginning to end with me has enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I again apologize for the long wait- I really didn't mean for it to take me so long. I just wanted it to come out just right for the ending to land nicely.  
  
I look forward to hearing your replies on this, and you may see me soon beginning a new story! For the last, and sadly, final time: I do not own the characters, just the plot!!  
  
Dracula's Brides  
  
Chapter 12: Make Three Into One  
  
A new night had just begun when Vladislaus summoned his three beautiful brides to him. They whispered together excitedly as they drifted down the grand, medieval hallways and once or twice they stopped to peer outside the windows. When they finally reached the library Vladislaus has already made himself comfortable in a luxurious red velvet arm chair at the end of the room. Rising to meet his brides he whispered three words,  
  
"I found him," it came breathlessly to the room and echoed in silence but was soon joined with the laughter of Aleera, Marishka, and Verona. They rejoiced at the news and ran to their master.  
  
"It is come, the moment we all held so passionately to our hearts!" screamed Marishka gaily.  
  
"Our children, our blood, to finally rise with us in the night!" Verona applauded joyously.  
  
"My master's dream to be finally fulfilled!" Aleera cackled devilishly.  
  
"Before we awaken our children, we must realize: we cannot go on without each other." Vladislaus pronounced, glancing at Aleera, "each of you must remember these things: each of you are equal-not even Verona surpasses you two because you are the same essentially. Each of you will get time with me- no more fighting." Aleera giggled, but he gave her a stern look and silenced her. "Aleera- each of you has a piece of my power, if any of you die I will die-part of me at least not completely-" he said pointedly, "so you cannot hurt your sisters just because they are smarter than you. I need this power to complete our plans for our children." Aleera looked puzzled, "by no means are you to endanger the lives of your sisters- is that _perfectly_ understood? I want no more jealous actions from you." he stared straight into her eyes coldly.  
  
"Yes, master," she forfeited.  
  
"Now," he pronounced clapping his pale white hands almost as if her words had not been heard. "The news you have waited for has come,"  
  
Verona jumped to the edge of her seat and he could see her thing pale legs protruding from her dress shaking nervously causing the dress to ripple and bounce to form light, airy waves.  
  
Marishka bobbed her head back and forth impatiently as if in time to a piece of music in her mind. Her brown curls were bouncing lightly with her.  
  
Aleera rubbed her stomach and watched her master keenly.  
  
"His name is Victor Frankenstein," he paused to hear them all whispering the name in awe." I met with him a few nights ago and he is to move into a nearby castle, close to the village, and begin work on a machine to give life to our young." Though, he thought to himself, he doesn't know it yet.  
  
"Can a mortal really conquer the mystery of life, master?" Aleera questioned, "Should we not find another, more... _suited_?"  
  
"Our master knows what is right Aleera," Marishka snapped "leave it be."  
  
"Frankenstein is very worthy of this duty," Vladislaus went on without seeming to hear them again, "I have inspected his past works, saw his dreams, his passion is in fact to find the secret of life- what more can you want in a mortal?" Aleera bowed her head towards him and said,  
  
"I was mistaken then." Her words trailing off as she saw Verona smile at her calmly.  
  
"I must leave you for the night so feed, talk, sleep, do what you will for the night." Vladislaus continued, "I am going to see how our dear Victor is getting used to our lands and customs. Until the job is done I will not stop watching his every move. Understand this my brides," he warned, looking each straight in the eyes, "to do this without failure we need to work together- be as one. Our lives will revolve around this man, this mortal, until it is done."  
  
"We understand Vladislaus," Verona purred reaching out to her daughters, "We will not fail you." She finally grasped Aleera and Marishka hands in her own tightly.  
  
"Never!" Aleera chimed in glancing favorably in Verona's direction, "I will be a good sister and daughter."  
  
"Very well then my dears" Vladislaus cooed, "I shall be off at once!" he went towards them all gathering them at once into a tight embrace. After kissing each one passionately he ran off into the night.  
  
As the brides stood to watch him go, they grabbed hold on to each other, their shadows forming into one giant shape.  
  
Verona, Marishka, and Aleera stood not alone, but as one, watching their master fulfill their dreams. 


End file.
